Ryslig Inbox

[loungelizard]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, LARRY LAFFER. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 069.69.069.69 *** < LarryLaffer > has joined 069.69.069.69 <LarryLaffer> Hiya! <LarryLaffer> Leave a message, I'll get back to you when I can! <LarryLaffer> For immediate responses, i.e. business inquiries, booty calls, or telemarketing, call my landline at ###-###-####.

Comments

[loungelizard]

[Yeah. This is exactly why he hides behind another identity.]

MorningDew wants to do community events and I figured I'd donate some of the plants that have been growing around my lodge. The blessing thing is MorningDew's idea. You'd have to ask her.

[peccatore]

Oh.

[INSTANT RELIEF.]

Well, just be careful then.
Er
Not that there is anything inherently wrong with people who follow the Fog God, of course.
I'm married to one of them after all.
But actual worship is a little concerning to me.

[loungelizard]

Does this really count as worship? It's just a well-wishing for the plant to thrive and receive her protection.

[peccatore]

Well, it's prayer.
I'd say that counts.

[loungelizard]

[Larry...stares at his screen for a while. Larry "prays" every morning before work, even if it looks more like a long morning chat over tea with no one in particular.

He pouts.]

Isn't it kind of inappropriate for an employer to ask about his employee's religious affiliation these days?

[peccatore]

Er, well
I’M not technically your employer.
And for what it’s worth, I’m sure Fiddleford won’t mind either way.

[loungelizard]

Still.

[There's such a casual atmosphere at work that Larry isn't going to bother teasing apart the specifics of the pecking order. It's neither here nor there right now.]

Why do you care, though?

[peccatore]

[This gives Marco some pause. And then a good helping of self-consciousness.]

Was I too overbearing? Sorry.
I try to keep my bias in check, but I suppose I panicked.

[loungelizard]

No, it's just weird. You usually avoid asking me what I do in my free time.

[usually because it's painfully obvious and doesn't make polite conversation (in any opinion that isn't Larry's.)]

[peccatore]

[Yes, Marco does tend to allow Larry as much privacy as one might imagine a Catholic man would.]

Ah, well
This isn't exactly...
No, I suppose it COULD be a hobby for some people, if they don't treat it like a religion...

[loungelizard]

I'm still lost.

What are you trying to avoid saying?

[peccatore]

[These next few messages take a little longer.]

Sorry.
I SHOULD be more direct, as your coworker.

I've had trouble with this in the past. The er
god thing as a whole.
As I said, I try to keep myself in check nowadays, but...

On occasion,

[... Will it ever get easier to be direct about this?]

My brain can be uncooperative and get the better of me.

[loungelizard]

[This still doesn't answer his question, but...hell, it's enough to play ball.]

Marco...

We want to bring people together. We want people to realize that they can be happy here, if they want to be. We want to heal this planet.

We don't have any ulterior motives.

[peccatore]

[He reads this.

He reads this twice.

He reads it three times.]

"We"?

[loungelizard]

MorningDew and I.

She's a friend of mine from home.

[peccatore]

Right. Yes.
And she's the one following the Fog God.

[loungelizard]

"The one"?

Marco.

Do you really not know?

[peccatore]

Well,

I suppose we should just be direct with each other then.

[loungelizard]

[MARCO???]

I'm a Fog follower.

Have been for several months now, actually...

[peccatore]

Ah.

[That's... what he was afraid of.

Except, as he reminds himself, there's no reason to be afraid. He trusts Fiddleford, he's trusted Larry up until now, and he has thoroughly established that being aligned with the Fog doesn't mean you're evil.

The fact that has to actively remind himself of all this doesn't mean it's any less true. In fact, the rational part of him understands that it likely makes it even MORE true, which is fun when your brain insists on believing things that are not.]

Well, why didn't you say so sooner?

[loungelizard]

Er -- I'm sorry. But I wasn't exactly keeping it a secret...?

I'm sure I've talked to McGucket about it by the water cooler a few times by now.

Look. I know that there's a lot of sick people out there who use her name to justify what they do. But you don't need to worry -- you know me.

[For better or for worse, Larry doesn't hide anything -- especially his coworkers.]

There's plenty of people eager to personify her wrath. It's about time someone stepped up to the plate to represent her love.

[peccatore]

Right. Right.

[He knows Larry, that's true. That ought to help. More than a valued coworker, and despite his tastes in decor, Larry is a good man. He shouldn't have to worry, not at all.

But the word "love", when applied to the Fog God, makes his stomach twist and turn.]

Again, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to come off as aggressive about this, so that's my bad.

[loungelizard]

You don't seem aggressive, no. You haven't accused me of anything yet.

Aren't you in with the Fourth?

[peccatore]

Well, yes.
I'm one of his priests.

[loungelizard]

Right. And how's that been working out for you?